UV sterilizers?

[Sky042]

I'd like to know if a UV sterilizer can/will kill free swimming ich.

Also I've heard conflicting stories on how long you can run one. Some say you can run them all the time some say you can only run one for a few days without killing your tank.

Anyone know the truth or have experience using them?

 

[rdd1952]

I personally will vouch for what they do in the way of clearing up green water. I have used one on two different tanks and it worked great. I ran mine off a power head rather than through a canister filter. Fortunately, I've never had an outbreak of ich so I don't know if they actually work on that or not. As for running them all the time, I had some questions a while back and started this thread. CFC said that he ran his all the time so it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[canarsie11]

Running all the time should not be a problem, because the uv sterilizer only effects the water that passes through it.

 

[Def]

There is a reasonable argument against running UV all the time, as fishes immune system will come to rely on it cleaning the water. Introducing a new fish may introduce a pathogen that wouldn't cause issues on fish normally, but with lowered immune systems it may cause trouble. That's one of the theories for marines anyway, where UV's are used a lot.

FWIW I was going to have a UV plumbed in, but only turned on during a disease outbreak etc.

 

[CFC]

As said i run my UV's continually and i dont have any problems on either of the tanks fitted with them, neither tank has ever had a outbreak of any disease and algea is very minimal.

 

[andywg]

I have run UV permanently on one tank over a year and never had any problem with it. I run it on my larger community and will be installing it on my 150gal tank once it's running. It certainly seems to help keep algae in check.

It may lower the immune system by removing pathogens from the water, but then if a new fish brings some in it will likely kill those pathogens too.

It will not crash the tank. It will only zap things that go through it. The only way it can affect the beneficial bacteria is if you place your filter media in the sleeve - and surely no-one is that stupid

So long as the flow rate is correct for the UV then it will kill free swimming Ich and should help immensely.

HIH

Andy

 

[Teelie]

I've thought about them before but at the moment they're just not practical for me. On a bigger tank or outdoor pond that's another story however.

 

[Sky042]

Well that's settled then.
I'm putting one on my 125 before I lose my 6 inche clown loaches to ich. They're covered in the stuff and my coppersafe isn't doing the trick.

If I can't kill em with meds I'll kill em free swimming with UV light.

 

[Bignose]

Note that the UV will help decimate but will never completely destroy the population of ich or greenwater or anything. Since the UV recirculates the water and can only affect a small portion of the total tank water at any one point, a tiny amount of anything living in the tank can survive. The population will adjust until the rate the UV kills is the same as the rate at which new growth occurs. Then it will steady, but the population level is not very likely be zero.

 

[Sky042]

Note that the UV will help decimate but will never completely destroy the population of ich or greenwater or anything. Since the UV recirculates the water and can only affect a small portion of the total tank water at any one point, a tiny amount of anything living in the tank can survive. The population will adjust until the rate the UV kills is the same as the rate at which new growth occurs. Then it will steady, but the population level is not very likely be zero.

Well with a little luck a combination of temp at 86. Coppersafe in the tank and a UV light I'm hoping to cure it. This particular strain of ick is probably the most resistant I've ever run across. I've been treating it in my 46G as well for a month now with malachite green, Heat, and salt and still keeps comming back for more.